LCM & sails, red : hybrid aircraft/animals e.a.

[PR19_Kit]

It doesn't have an 'Engine Kill Switch', it has an 'Engine CLAP Switch'. 

[kerick]

OMG !! What have you done!
Hilarious! I keep thinking of it running down the runway like Fred Flintstone's car trying to takeoff!!

[ericr]

 

[steelpillow]

Terry Pratchett may have given Discworld the Luggage, but he never gave it Flying Luggage! 

[Tophe]

very funny!

[zenrat]

Any reason the tail rotor has to be at the back rather than the front?

Then clue's in the name.................   

Beat me to it Kit  Mind you I like the idea of a "Front Rotor" 

I knew i'd get the smart arse reply.  And I guessed it'd be from you two.


The question remains, albeit in a much more long winded form.  Is there any engineering or aerodynamic reason why the small rotor used to oppose the main rotor's torque on a conventional helicopter design has to be at the back?


Happy clappy Tin Goose looks great Eric.   

[PR19_Kit]

Any reason the tail rotor has to be at the back rather than the front?

Then clue's in the name.................   

Beat me to it Kit  Mind you I like the idea of a "Front Rotor" 

I knew i'd get the smart arse reply.  And I guessed it'd be from you two.


The question remains, albeit in a much more long winded form.  Is there any engineering or aerodynamic reason why the small rotor used to oppose the main rotor's torque on a conventional helicopter design has to be at the back?

Chris and I think remarkably similarly sometimes, perhaps it's something to do with our joint roots in Croydon?

As for anti-torque rotors only at the back, I reckon it's as simple as it would be in the way of vision at the front.

Of course if you had a double-decker fuselage..................

[zenrat]

I can envisage a design with the anti torque rotor on the end of a boom out to one side with another boom on the opposite side carrying radar.

[Tophe]

The Gyrodyne had an antitorque rotor which was not at the rear but asymmetrically lateral providing speed at the same time.
But, of course, twin-boom is best.

[NARSES2]

Terry Pratchett may have given Discworld the Luggage, but he never gave it Flying Luggage! 

Beat me to it sir 

[steelpillow]

The question remains, albeit in a much more long winded form.  Is there any engineering or aerodynamic reason why the small rotor used to oppose the main rotor's torque on a conventional helicopter design has to be at the back?

Simple aerodynamic stability in yaw is the reason, just like putting a fin at the back rather than the front. The faster the chopper flies, the more likely the pilot is to find himself suddenly flipped round and facing backwards. More technical diatribes on yawing moments and stability available on (serious!) request. You could put a bigger'n'ever fin at the back to compensate, but I don't want to give Eric ideas.

[zenrat]

The question remains, albeit in a much more long winded form.  Is there any engineering or aerodynamic reason why the small rotor used to oppose the main rotor's torque on a conventional helicopter design has to be at the back?

Simple aerodynamic stability in yaw is the reason, just like putting a fin at the back rather than the front. The faster the chopper flies, the more likely the pilot is to find himself suddenly flipped round and facing backwards. More technical diatribes on yawing moments and stability available on (serious!) request. You could put a bigger'n'ever fin at the back to compensate, but I don't want to give Eric ideas.

That makes sense.  Thanks mate.   

[ericr]

but I don't want to give Eric ideas.

That makes sense.  Thanks mate.   

[steelpillow]

 

[kerick]

Doesn't the boom and such provide the stability after a certain forward speed and the tail rotor loose it's effectiveness? Some helicopters having more of a "fin" than others perhaps depending on forward speed?